Good for your 'elf

Okay, okay, it's only July, we know, so we'll keep the Christmas puns to a minimum...

Our Santas are relaxing and taking in a few rays (now we know where he gets his shiny red nose!) in the summer sun, but they wanted to remind you of some fantastic events we've got going on this festive season.

Every year thousands of people across the country slip on their Santa suits in aid of the British Heart Foundation. Our Santa Jogs are a lovely way to get into the Christmas spirit, raise your heart rates and save lives. You can choose to walk, jog or run the routes with a sea of fellow Santas (sunbathing optional)!

Find a Santa Jog near you
and help us save lives this
Christmas:

• Basingstoke
• Cardiff
• Milton Keynes
• Reading
• Salford Quays
• Swansea

You are our shining lights....

... so we want to let you in on this spectacular opportunity to snap up the best seats at the sell-out Bank of Scotland Fireworks Concert in Edinburgh on Sunday 6 September.

Each ticket costs only £25, and we're hoping to raise over £13,000! 100% of the profits from ticket sales are being donated directly to the BHF.

The tickets, which the Bank of Scotland has generously donated to us, will see you right in the heart of the action, in the exclusive Ross Theatre viewing area in the beautiful Princes Street Gardens.

This amazing event is Europe’s biggest annual fireworks display - choreographed to live music from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

Get your tickets here!

Going abroad or staying at home?

Check out our travel tips for heart patients, our guide to help your holiday run smoothly - PLUS get a free podcast...

Take me there now!

Swine flu and you

In light of the latest news about swine flu in the UK, we've put together a special Q&A for heart patients and their carers who may be worried about it.

People with chronic conditions such as heart disease, the elderly and the very young, have a greater risk of having worse symptoms than the general population.

For the full swine flu Q&A please visit our main website

Statins and heart health

Statins are a drug currently prescribed to healthy people who are at high risk of heart disease, perhaps because of a family history of heart disease, or high cholesterol levels.

They can also help prevent further problems for people who have had a heart attack or stroke.

Statins lower cholesterol in your blood. High cholesterol can lead to fatty deposits building up in your arteries, which may lead to coronary heart disease.

As with any drug there is a risk of side effects, but with statins these are usually mild and easy to spot and treat.

The British Medical Journal recently published a paper which suggests statins could be useful for everyone, whether they have the symptoms of heart disease or not.

Our senior cardiac nurse, Cathy Ross, says that this may have implications on when doctors prescribe statins.

Have you had experience of statins? Please leave us a comment, or you can join us on Facebook and Twitter and share your experiences there.